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formation and placement
formation and placement
In French (and English), the superlative is a form of an adjective expressing 'the best', 'the smallest', 'the most interesting'.
formation
To form the superlative, use the definite article (le, la, les) and the adverb plus or moins before the adjective.
NOTE: The superlative of an adjective agrees with the noun it modifies in gender (masculine/feminine) and in number (singular/plural).
placement
The placement of the superlative is the usual placement of the adjective.
So if the adjective follows the noun, then the superlative will follow the noun, too.
Note that if the adjective follows the noun, the definite article (le, la, les, l’) is used twice.
If the adjective comes before the noun, then the superlative adjective will come before the noun, too.
superlative le (la, les) plus (the most) le (la, les) moins (the least)
adjective after noun
adjective before noun
Note that instead of the definite article, you may use a possessive determiner (mon, ma, mes , etc.), so you might say: 'Edouard est mon ami le plus distingué' (Edouard is my most distinguished friend).
irregular superlatives
irregular superlatives
The adjectives bon and mauvais have irregular patterns in the superlative. Note there are two forms for expressing 'the worst': the irregular form le (la) pire and the more commonly used le (la) plus mauvais(e)
The adjectives bon and mauvais have irregular patterns in the superlative. Note there are two forms for expressing 'the worst': the irregular form le (la) pire and the more commonly used le (la) plus mauvais(e)
superlative of bon (good)
the best
le meilleur campus
la meilleure université
les meilleurs profs
les meilleures notes
the least good
le moins bon campus
la moins bonne université
les moins bons profs
les moins bonnes notes
superlative of mauvais (bad)
the worst the least bad
le pire campus le moins mauvais campus
le plus mauvais campus
la pire université la moins mauvaise université
la plus mauvaise université
les pires profs les moins mauvais profs
les plus mauvais profs
les pires notes les moins mauvaises notes
les plus mauvaises notes
The superlative of mauvais is always either le pire or le plus mauvais.
TIP: For catastrophes you can only use ‘pire.’you may only say 'les pires tempêtes,' 'les pires catastrophes,' 'les pires crimes' etc. Why? Because ‘tempêtes,' 'catastrophe,' 'crime' are already negative and it would be redundant to use 'mauvais' or its superlative, 'le plus mauvais,' in front of them.
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